Hernia Belts - or just general help please?!
Discussion
So my (healthy, active) Dad has a hernia and because of 'this stuff' he's been suffering for months with it with no date still for the operation. I also live many miles from him.
It's an inguinal hernia, and I've just been googling and I can see you can buy belts to help with symptoms?
Does anyone have any experience of these (pre-op) that they are happy to share? Don't really care what it costs but don't want to buy him anything that will potentially make things worse and would appreciate any first-hand advice of products that have worked. He's 73 and slim-ish build, if that makes any difference. He's usually an active chap and it's upsetting to hear that he can't even stand up for long without being in pain or having to spend a lot of his day laid on his back.
Many thanks.
It's an inguinal hernia, and I've just been googling and I can see you can buy belts to help with symptoms?
Does anyone have any experience of these (pre-op) that they are happy to share? Don't really care what it costs but don't want to buy him anything that will potentially make things worse and would appreciate any first-hand advice of products that have worked. He's 73 and slim-ish build, if that makes any difference. He's usually an active chap and it's upsetting to hear that he can't even stand up for long without being in pain or having to spend a lot of his day laid on his back.
Many thanks.
The main point to consider is whether it's broken through or not. Mine was only painful when breaking through. After that it was supportive underwear or a jock strap, it could get painful when standing for long hours. If it's getting strangulated or trapped it will be very painful, strangulated is a medical emergency btw, it's extremely painful. Might be worth going to a hernia clinic, simple operation they can do with laparoscopy surgery if it's small, obviously a mesh etc. Takes a few months to recover.
It's 'broken through' in that he tells me he has to pop it back in sometimes.
We're up on the whole strangulated situation, which thankfully it isn't, but just wondered if anyone had experiences of supportive belts or whatever that helped before the operation. I'm happy to buy whatever, but am wary of making things worse.
We're up on the whole strangulated situation, which thankfully it isn't, but just wondered if anyone had experiences of supportive belts or whatever that helped before the operation. I'm happy to buy whatever, but am wary of making things worse.
Sod I just did a long reply (like to think I'm an expert on ing. hernias, having had my first in 1967 and my second in 2016 - the surgeon who did the first said to me when I left hospital (it was a 14 day stay then - today it's less than half that in 'hours'!) at some point the other side will herniate. Almost 50 yrs!!
But just had a interruption to copy something else and lost it all!
Anyway, here's a brief reply for now. You say he can 'pop' it back in. Usually, if led down it should go back inside of its own accord and not need much help. My (second) ing hernia got bad, to the stage where it descended into the testes. Don't let it get that far. I just left getting a support (pants) a bit late - the hernia will get larger the longer it is left. It won't get better. I did know of one guy who caught his early and kept it at bay with a support for a few years, then it came through again!
I'm similar age to your dad and you/he should be able to get a pair of hernia pants (or more) on free prescription. I couldn't because my local NHS CCG had wiped it from their free list (b
ds!) so had to pay although I got a more simple support (and it worked).
I rang the supplier of 'hernia pants' and they were not happy, they said the 'savings' the CCG would make would be blown out of the water should my hernia strangulate and become an emergency. The clueless in charge again.
Here's the link.
https://www.herniapants.com/
But just had a interruption to copy something else and lost it all!
Anyway, here's a brief reply for now. You say he can 'pop' it back in. Usually, if led down it should go back inside of its own accord and not need much help. My (second) ing hernia got bad, to the stage where it descended into the testes. Don't let it get that far. I just left getting a support (pants) a bit late - the hernia will get larger the longer it is left. It won't get better. I did know of one guy who caught his early and kept it at bay with a support for a few years, then it came through again!
I'm similar age to your dad and you/he should be able to get a pair of hernia pants (or more) on free prescription. I couldn't because my local NHS CCG had wiped it from their free list (b
ds!) so had to pay although I got a more simple support (and it worked). I rang the supplier of 'hernia pants' and they were not happy, they said the 'savings' the CCG would make would be blown out of the water should my hernia strangulate and become an emergency. The clueless in charge again.
Here's the link.
https://www.herniapants.com/
Just to add, after a complete mess about by the NHS I went private. In out in a few hours, all (and this is important!) under a local anaesthetic not a general which the hospital I was going to have it done. It got cancelled outside the op theatre! My bp went off scale.
I chatted to the surgeon while he did the op (mesh - I even have a sample of the actual mesh used - there are different varieties of mesh).
I went private after the NHS wanting me on blood pressure tablets I didn't need (I have WCS).
The straw that broke the camel's back that made me go private (less than £2k, well worth it) was getting not 'one' but several letters from the NHS, including the very hospital trust where I went, asking me HOW my operation went! You couldn't make it up.
My bp in the private hospital was 'normal'. Strangely, they didn't wear white, but a purple and blue uniform. Perhaps WCS (white coat syndrome) can be cured easily? Don't wear white! LOL
Oh, I was told I might be black and blue and bruised down below. Nope. All healed well. In fact, my 60s op has about a 6-inch scar still visible, (on my first GP visit I was asked if a hacksaw had been used to open me up?
) my 2018 private op had a scar about an inch long, and now almost invisible. No bruising, or black and blue todger either.
All fine still.
I chatted to the surgeon while he did the op (mesh - I even have a sample of the actual mesh used - there are different varieties of mesh).
I went private after the NHS wanting me on blood pressure tablets I didn't need (I have WCS).
The straw that broke the camel's back that made me go private (less than £2k, well worth it) was getting not 'one' but several letters from the NHS, including the very hospital trust where I went, asking me HOW my operation went! You couldn't make it up.
My bp in the private hospital was 'normal'. Strangely, they didn't wear white, but a purple and blue uniform. Perhaps WCS (white coat syndrome) can be cured easily? Don't wear white! LOL
Oh, I was told I might be black and blue and bruised down below. Nope. All healed well. In fact, my 60s op has about a 6-inch scar still visible, (on my first GP visit I was asked if a hacksaw had been used to open me up?
) my 2018 private op had a scar about an inch long, and now almost invisible. No bruising, or black and blue todger either. All fine still.
Edited by dandarez on Saturday 10th October 23:19
OP, I'm a similar age to your father, an expat living in the Philippines. Symptoms started for me nearly two years ago. I ignored the initial discomfort and the various pub experts said grumbling appendix," jog on and buy a beer southern softie"
Meanwhile the lump got bigger and more worrying. I finally had a prognosis on the 1st September this year. Inguinal hernia. Right sided lower groin area just up from the right nut . Checked in on the
3rd September , Ace Hospital , Dumaguete .Surgery was scheduled for 10am on Friday 4th.
All surgery and meds are privately funded by the patient . Straightforward with no complications or infections after a three night stay in a private room. I'll not mention the beauty of some of the attending nurses. Seems salacious and not newsworthy. ....but boy oh boy ...they were monitoring my blood pressure ffs.
All screening and protocol was administered before being allowed entry re: covid19.
It's now 5 weeks plus , recovery is as expected , progress is slow as its age related. I took no pain killers just anti bacterial meds for a week following.
My advice is not to let this situation fester on , deal with it at your earliest convenience. The hernia won't go away by itself.
Meanwhile the lump got bigger and more worrying. I finally had a prognosis on the 1st September this year. Inguinal hernia. Right sided lower groin area just up from the right nut . Checked in on the
3rd September , Ace Hospital , Dumaguete .Surgery was scheduled for 10am on Friday 4th.
All surgery and meds are privately funded by the patient . Straightforward with no complications or infections after a three night stay in a private room. I'll not mention the beauty of some of the attending nurses. Seems salacious and not newsworthy. ....but boy oh boy ...they were monitoring my blood pressure ffs.
All screening and protocol was administered before being allowed entry re: covid19.
It's now 5 weeks plus , recovery is as expected , progress is slow as its age related. I took no pain killers just anti bacterial meds for a week following.
My advice is not to let this situation fester on , deal with it at your earliest convenience. The hernia won't go away by itself.
Just wanted to add through my own experience. I ended up with a strangulated hernia at 27, rushed into hospital, it was bigger than my fist. Throwing up cold sweats and so painful I thought I was going to pass out. The morphine was a welcome relief. The lesson is get it done asap and the £2k it costs at a hernia clinic whereby they're experts is well worthwhile. Because, recovery will be quicker and the chances of pain afterwards i.e. trapped nerves will be minimal.
One of the most important aspects is recovery, I know they say you can be up and about doing heavy exercise after a few weeks. From my own experience, it takes about 6 months, you'll be up and walking about after a few weeks. Don't lift anything heavy, especially bending over etc. Wear loose fitting shorts or tracksuit bottoms etc. You can get a big swelling on the groin area so don't panic on that one, it goes down. Put a pillow between your knees at night, seems to help. Good luck, hope he has a speedy recovery, it's a very routine op etc.
One of the most important aspects is recovery, I know they say you can be up and about doing heavy exercise after a few weeks. From my own experience, it takes about 6 months, you'll be up and walking about after a few weeks. Don't lift anything heavy, especially bending over etc. Wear loose fitting shorts or tracksuit bottoms etc. You can get a big swelling on the groin area so don't panic on that one, it goes down. Put a pillow between your knees at night, seems to help. Good luck, hope he has a speedy recovery, it's a very routine op etc.
https://www.hernia.org
They brought over the mesh repair which had been used in Canada and IIRC USA for some years prior. The NHS were still offering belts as a 'fix'.
The recommendation came from a NHS doctor, he said not to bother with the NHS. He had a keen interest in hernias, having studied them; one of the major design flaws of the human body that needs fixing.
I believe the NHS offer a mesh type repair these days.
They brought over the mesh repair which had been used in Canada and IIRC USA for some years prior. The NHS were still offering belts as a 'fix'.
The recommendation came from a NHS doctor, he said not to bother with the NHS. He had a keen interest in hernias, having studied them; one of the major design flaws of the human body that needs fixing.
I believe the NHS offer a mesh type repair these days.
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